I learned about **Homescan **on Viewpoints and while reading the reviews I thought I would give it a try and signed up. I am very pleased.Read complete review

I learned about **Homescan **on Viewpoints and while reading the reviews I thought I would give it a try and signed up. I am very pleased.

**Homescan** is a Nielsen's consumer panel program that helps make your voice heard in the market world. All you do is scan the products you normally purchase with the nifty scanner they send you (see pictures), put in the store you shopped at and purchase price for each product and when you are complete you are also entering if you used a savings card or what knots (the scanner asks the questions), after that just transmit once a week and watch the points build up to use for the selection of great gifts they offer. I was surprised at what I can get. Computer items, kitchen items, stuff for the kids, home, camping etc...I ordered my first gift and it said I would be waiting 4 to 6 weeks. It came in three days.

Some of the point amounts needed for some of the products I thought at first would take me forever to save up for, but I forgot about the surveys you can take and also receive points and just for joining up you receive 1000 points you get more points on your anniversary date too.

Note: Some areas of the US do have a waiting list, but for me I waited for about three weeks and if you have questions, they send you all the info in the welcome packet filled with info and beyond and they are more then happy to take you questions via computer or phone (They were very helpful and friendly). The scanner comes in a separate box (save the box and return address shipping label if you wish to cancel).

Tip: When scanning for the first time, swipe the scanner like you would lite a wooden match (oh that tip helped me a lot when I read it, I was a scanning demon).

Scan your products, transmit once a week (very easy) and rack up the points for cool gifts, what more could you ask for, plus your helping the marketers. (kids like to help scan too).

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

This sucks

I signed up for Homescan about three months ago. Since then, I've been asciduously scanning in virtually everything we've purchased. Then, today, scanning in a large grocery shopping trip, using their...Read complete review

I signed up for Homescan about three months ago. Since then, I've been asciduously scanning in virtually everything we've purchased. Then, today, scanning in a large grocery shopping trip, using their reference cards for the vegetables, and spending about an hour doing it, I got to thinking "why the hell am I doing this for them without adequate compensation?" These suckers are not even paying minimum wage.AC Nielsen and its subsidiary HomeScan are large, for profit corporations. They sell their research findings to high-paying clients, but they're using essentially slave-labor for the basis of their research. Every time we scan in a shopping trip, we are "rewarded" with points that equal mills on the dollar in terms of the "gifts" that are offered as incentive. I think we're also entered into some mysterious sweepstakes (what are the chances of winning that? yeah, right). Bottom line, unless you want to donate your time to a for-profit corporation, it's not worth it.If they were paying a straight cash amount for each item scanned, it would make some sort of sense, but unloading junk on us at exorbinant rates is nuts, as far as I'm concerned.I'm sending everything back. I've had it.Eric

I received my scanner and didn't have a chance to figure out how to use it due to the fact that I do work full time and have a 2 year old. Within a week I had a phone call asking me why I didn't submit any data to them yet. About 3 weeks later I started getting emails saying they wanted me to return the scanner and threatening collections and that I was no longer a affiliated with them. Then came the phone calls every 2-3days..and more emails. I told them I intended to return it but I live out of the way so I had to make my way to a post office. I mailed it back last week, and I emailed the tracking information to 2 different email addresses for Nielson, and today I received ANOTHER notice of collections. In total...I had the scanner in my possession for less than 2 months. The amount of emails and phonecalls I received in such a short period of time is just absurd. Don't sign up for this unless you have the intention of being VERY scheduled with them.

So I thought what the hey, what would there be to lose by signing up with this thing. Well first off they sent the scanner to the wrong address luckily my husband was able to retrieve it from our old address. But he then stuck it in a tote which was ok. Now I am being hounded daily by these people to return the scanner(which i cannot find for the life of me). I explained the situation to them and they threatened to send a collection agency after us. I am appalled at the lack of help etc they provided while i was a member. I now have a week to locate the scanner or we get stalked by a collection agency. I have a ten month old, she is so active I can barely do anything let alone go through stacks of totes to find the scanner.

I 100% do not recommend the scanner or these people at all unless you actually have the time or as i said they will send a collection agency after you

I have been a member for a little over 1 year and I have found that it is really not worth the time and the effort to come home and scan products with a cheesy scanner that does not work most of the time. I am returning their equipment to them tomorrow actually.

Ease of UseIt is easy to use and easy to understand, however the equipment is so old and unreliable that it becomes a real bother to scan things because it takes so long to do it.

Product SelectionI have gotten 1 prize with my points and I really do like the storage containers, it just took about a year to get it. I have never gotten any of the money prizes and I really don't expect to.

Product PricingSome of the prizes are worth the points if cost to get them, others are just way to much. By the time you save up to get them, there will be a better model.

Customer ServiceIf you miss scanning, they are calling you. If you call them for something, you can never get a straight answer as they are only worried about you scanning grocery items.

I do a lot of extra things to earn money. On one of the rewards sites I use I had the opportunity to sign up for Nielsen Homescan. I did it for about 6 months but finally gave up because it was definitely NOT worth my time.

The basic concept is you use the scanner they mail you and scan everything you buy. It is actually very time consuming. I do not have a busy lifestyle and I found it to waste too much time. I can not imagine how someone with a busy life style could use it. No way. I would not mind the amount of time it takes if the rewards were better. It takes FOREVER to get enough points to actually cash out for a reward.

I do NOT suggest Nielsen Homescan. It is not worth your time because of the horrible payouts. There are scanning apps that you can get on your phone with much higher payouts! Stick with those.

Ease of UseIt is easy to use. You simply scan the bar code.

Product SelectionNot applicable for this.

Product PricingThe scanner is free.

Customer ServiceI have never actually contacted their customer service.

I thought that if you joined them you would have your voice heard at this is the site WRONG. I have been a member for over 10 years very little reward-they get lots of money from companies from what we do. Then they send me a letter stating that they no longer need me to scan for me to send back the scanner within two weeks or they would turn me over to a collection agent-by way of a recording, real nice after over 10 years scanning. Have saved all of my “rewards” to get something worth wiled but now I can’t get it because I am no longer a member. So please don’t waste your time with Nielsen Homescan.

Ease of UseYou have to go through all of the stores just to find the one that your looking for-it is not like using the key pad to type in the stores name.

Product Selectionthere is none

Product Pricingthere is none

Customer ServiceEven if the scanner is not working it is your fault that it is not working, and it don't matter that your working they want it done right now.

Shipping and Returnswho knows they don't any anything but the scanner to return which I am doing so I don't get turned over to a collection agency.

I got selected to do the Nielson home study and was sent a scanner. I was super excited at first since I thought I would earn lots of points and be able to get gift cards in exchange for all my work, but boy was I wrong. First off they expect you to scan every single thing you buy at the store, I have two kids and buy a lot! The first time it took me like an hour to scan everything. The points I earned were so low that it would have taken me forever to earn enough to get anything. I returned the scanner and left the study after that first week. I just do not have the time to invest in something like this.

Ease of UseThe scanner itself is easy to use, just scan the bar code on your purchases.

Product SelectionYou have to scan every single thing you buy.

Product PricingThis is a free study that you participate in, it costs nothing.

Customer ServiceWhen I emailed to cancel my part of this they were very nice about it.

Shipping and ReturnsThey pay to send the scanner to you and they pay if you return it.

If you want to have your voice heard and don't care about getting an "award" then this is the site for you. I have been a member for over 20 years because I wanted to have my shopping choices known so that the products don't disappear from local shelves. However, may of the products I purchased have disappeared from the local stores. But, they are still available on line. Seems like I've shaped my shopping experiences to have the products available on line but not in the local stores! They say it takes about an hour a week for scanning and answering an occasional survey. How long it takes you to scan depends on how much you buy, and your scanner. My scanner is very, very slow.

Ease of UseMy scanner "jams up" some of the time. No, it is not the original scanner they sent me. It is a new style. I think the original scanner was better.

Product SelectionThe awards product selection is OK but it takes years to get one of the better awards, like an iPod.

Product PricingIn my opinion, should take less points to get an award.

Customer ServiceCustomer service has always responded and seem willing to assist with any problem.

Shipping and ReturnsI've returned an old scanner and a broken scanner and both times they paid for the shipping. Of course they do own the scanner, so in my opinion, they should pay for the shipping. Awards are shipped to you with no shipping costs.

I found Nielsen through a local thrifty shopping blog. At the time I'd just had my first child and was starting to look into thrifty living and work at home stuff. I'd heard a lot about taking surveys at home and making money. I wanted to get started doing something. I had always worked full time and 4 weeks into my 12 week maternity leave I was getting a little bored. (I was blessed with a good sleeper.)Nielsen was something I could do right away. It's pretty easy to qualify for and surveys started coming within a few days of signing up. I actually didn't mind the scanning at first. There are quite a few stores in my area that don't require the prices to be input while scanning. That saves a lot of time. I also tend to shop in several small trips rather than one huge one. Scanning twenty items is not so bad. One hundred items on the other hand is crazy. The points scale increases over time. I've been on the panel five years now, and every year the points increase. I don't take the surveys anymore. We have two kids now and I stay home, so it still gives me something to do, plus my kids are now at an age where they find the process interesting. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It is a lot of work for little reward. Plus you giving away some of your personal information. I have redeemed my points for a few things, mostly toys for the kids. They do have a great prize selection. Including, Kitchen aide mixers, gift cards, toys, home and office things.

This is a survey company that has a waiting list to get on it. Once accepted, you get points for doing surveys as well as for scanning all your purchases. It doesn't cost you anything, and they have great tech support. You can get some really good rewards (or prizes) when you trade in your points IF you are patient. It can take a long time for it all to add up.

Ease of UseTheir site is very easy to navigate, and you can get to what you need easily and without searching a lot. Customer support is also available and easy to access.

Product SelectionIt's above average, but it can take you years to save up enough points to get a big ticket item (which I did). There's a good selection of name brand products, and probably within your first year or membership you will be able to snag at least one gift from their catalog.

Product PricingVery reasonable.

Customer ServiceExcellent. When their regular tech support couldn't help me, they put me through to their real technicians, and the problem was resolved in about 15 min. They also send you a new scanner and batteries whenever needed for free!

Shipping and ReturnsAll returns are required to get approval beforehand, but they pay return postage.

I shop a lot, therefore, I have a lot to scan. The problem with this website is not the scanning of the products, it is the length of time it takes to earn rewards. Sometimes I would receive double the points for a particular week, but the point amount for rewards were so high. I was a member for a year and a half scanning each week and never accumulated enough points to earn any rewards. Another issue I had was with the scanner. I had to plug it up to my internet modem and keep it on adding to my electric bill. Some people might enjoy it, but for me it was just time consuming with little reward to show for it. I was not satisfied.

Ease of UseIt was somewhat easy to use, but can become very overwhelming if you are not organized.

Customer ServiceCustomer service was great whenever I would call in about scanner issues. They knew how to walk me through a reboot and would credit my account if scans didn't go through.

Shipping and ReturnsIt was very easy to return the scanner equipment once I was done with the program.